By Shannon Flanagan – CPT
Pre-workout:
Before working out it is crucial that we eat a well-balanced meal. As it turns out, if your goal is to maximize your workout and get (or maintain) a lean body, eating, not starving, is your best strategy. It takes the body four to six hours to digest fat, about three hours to digest protein and about two hours to digest carbohydrates so it’s important to wind down the protein and fat content of your meal or snack as you get closer to exercise. Some good snacks to eat 30 to 90 minutes before a workout are Banana, toast, peanut butter, protein bar, Kashi cereal, oatmeal, or a hard-boiled egg.
Post-workout:
Congratulations, you are done with your workout!!! Now it is time to refuel! This is my favorite part of a workout J. As soon as you’re done with your workout it is vital to consume protein as soon as you finish, or typically within the hour. Egg whites, tuna, and chicken are all great sources of protein; you want a more ideal source that will digest faster. That’s why after your workout, a whey protein powder mix would be an ultimate choice! As for how much, try to consume 0.15—0.25 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. For example, someone who weighs 145lbs would shoot between 22-36 grams of protein.
Training for an Endurance Race
As we continue to enhance our endurance training, we often forget or pay little attention to protein. As a result, protein deficiency appears often among those that train for endurance, with its attendant negative effects on performance and health. It is a myth that only body builders are the only individuals that should intake protein because protein makes you gain weight. Most endurance athletes “carb load” which causes lack of energy and weight gain. Individuals that train for endurance should definitely consider the amounts of protein they ingest, far above the normal adult RDA, because maintenance, repair, and growth of lean muscle mass all depend on it.
3 Great Recovery Meals with Protein and Carbohydrates:
-Chicken breast with brown rice
-Turkey burger with baked sweet potato
-Fresh fruit and yogurt
Protein for Strength Training
It is typical that while strength trainers need to consume large amounts of protein, most still overestimate their protein needs. Daily protein recommendations for serious strength athletes are about 0.6 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. That’s about 90 to 115 grams of protein/day for the 140-pound athlete and 128 to 164 grams for those weighing 200 pounds.
5 Muscle Building tips include:
1. Eat more protein
2. Eat more often
3. Drink more water
4. Take a multi-vitamin
5. Rest and be consistent
How Protein Helps Lose Weight
The amount of quality protein in your diet is the single most important calorie that influences your metabolic rate, favorably influencing weight loss. Quality protein also helps you sustain muscle during weight loss, improve muscle fitness, improve immunity, improve antioxidant function, build HDL cholesterol, and enhance insulin and lepton function – all of which contribute toward optimal weight management efforts over time. What’s the tip? Eat a high protein diet so while your maintaining muscle mass, you’re losing the fat!